Chapter 6 - Working in Teams

Working with a team can be an integral part of the technical writing process.  With this said, there are many different pieces of teamwork that should be looked into such as how to organize and manage the team with meetings, how to handle conflicts, different ways to think critically, as well as how to use the different forms of collaboration.

Key Points:

Management Guidelines:

• Appoint a group manager
• Define a clear and definite goal
• Identify the type of document required
• Divide the tasks
• Establish a timetable
• Decide on a meeting schedule
• Establish a procedure for responding to the work of other members
• Develop a file-naming system for various drafts
• Establish procedures for dealing with interpersonal problems
• Select a group decision-making style
• Decide how to evaluate each member's contribution
• Prepare a project management plan
• Submit regular progress reports

Meeting Guidelines:

• Set an agenda
• Ask each person to prepare as needed
• Appoint a different "observer" for each meeting
• Begin by summarizing the minutes of the last meeting
• Give all members a chance to speak
• Stick to the issue
• Keep things moving
• Observe, guide, and listen
• Summarize major points before calling for a vote
• End the meeting on schedule

Group Conflict Management:

• Give everyone a chance to be heard
• Take everyone's feelings and opinions seriously
• Don't be afraid to disagree
• Offer and accept constructive criticism
• Find points of agreement with others who hold different views
• When the group does make a decision, support it fully

Questions for Active Listening:

• Do I remember people's names after being introduced?
• Do I pay close attention to what is being said, or am I easily distracted?
• Do I make eye contact with the speaker, or do I stare off elsewhere?
• Do I actually appear interested and responsive, or bored and passive?
• Do I allow the speaker to finish, or do I interrupt?
• Do I tend to get the message straight, or do I misunderstand it?
• Do I remember important details from previous discussions, or do I forget who said what?
• Do I ask people to clarify complex ideas, or just stop listening?
• Do I know when to keep quiet, or do I insist on being heard?

Guidelines for Active Listening:

• Don't dictate
• Be receptive
• Keep an open mind
• Be courteous
• Show genuine interest
• Hear the speaker out
• Focus on the message
• Be agreeable
• Ask for clarification
• Observe the 90/10 rule

Creative Thinking:

• Brainstorming
• Choose a quiet setting and agree on a time limit
• Decide on a clear and specific goal for the session
• Focus on the issue or problem
• As ideas begin to flow, record every one
• If ideas are still flowing at sessions end, keep going
• Take a break
• Now confront your list
• Brainwriting
• Mindmapping
• Story Boarding

Peer Review Guidelines:

• Read the entire piece at least twice before you comment
• Remember the mere mechanical correctness does not guarantee effectiveness
• Understand the acceptable limits of editing
• Be honest but diplomatic
• Focus first on the big picture
• Always explain why something doesn't work
• Make specific recommendations for improvements
• Be aware that not all feedback as equal value

Forms of Collaboration:

• Email
• Project management software
• Instant messaging
• Groupware
• Digital whiteboard
• Web conferencing
• Blogs
• Teleconferencing and videoconferencing

Abuses of Collaboration:

• Intimidating one's peers
• Claiming credit for other's work
• Hoarding information
• Whom do we contact for what?
• Where to we get the best price, the quickest repair, the best service?
• What's the best way to do X?